
Side Dishes
Southwestern Mac & Cheese with Bacon Crumble

Servings
12
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium size pasta shells
- 12 tablespoons Unsalted Challenge Butter, divided
- ⅔ cup shallots, diced
- ⅔ cup red bell pepper, diced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 5 cups whole or evaporated milk
- 1 (8 ounce) package Challenge Cream Cheese
- 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2-3 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, diced
- 1 (7 ounce) can fire roasted diced green chilies, drained
- 2 cups cooked and crumbled bacon, divided
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup canned or fresh diced tomatoes
- ⅛ cup diced cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt, or more if needed
Directions
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1Preheat oven to 400 degrees
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2Cook pasta until “el dente,” or firm, about 2 minutes less as directed on package, drain water from pasta reserving until needed. It is important not to fully cook pasta, as it will continue to cook in the oven.
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3In a large pan, add 4 tablespoons of butter, shallots and red bell pepper over medium high heat. Cook until softened and shallots turn light brown, about 4-5 minutes.
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4Whisk in flour, stirring until bubbly and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in milk, stirring until thickened.
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5Stir in cream cheese, whisking until cheese has melted into the sauce.
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6Add cheddar cheese, stirring until melted. Add chipotles, green chilies, 1 cup of bacon pieces, and the onion powder. Season sauce with salt as needed.
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7Add pasta to cheese sauce, tossing until pasta is well coated. Pour into a large casserole dish or into individual ramekins.
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8In a frying pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, stir in Panko until butter is absorbed. Remove from heat and add the remaining cup of bacon and the parmesan cheese to create the Bacon Crumble.
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9Sprinkle Bacon Crumble over the top of Mac & Cheese. Place into oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until topping is browned and macaroni is bubbly.
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10In a small bowl, combine diced tomatoes and cilantro, season with salt if desired.
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11To serve, place macaroni in a bowl, and top with the tomato mixture.